responded to the Pharisees by citing the example of David in 1 Samuel, chapter 21:1-6. David went to the Levite town of Nob, where Ahimelech was the high priest. David said that he needed bread for himself and his men. Ahimelech responded that he only had consecrated holy bread for the sacrifices, not common bread. That bread was for the Levites, but the priest then gave him the holy bread anyway. This is similar to Mark, chapter 2:25-26, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. It is also the same as Luke, chapter 6:3-4. Jesus said to the Pharisees (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς). He wanted to know if they had read the unnamed book of Samuel (Οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε). That was when David and his companions were hungry (τί ἐποίησεν Δαυεὶδ ὅτε ἐπείνασεν καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ). He entered the house of God (πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ). He ate the bread of the Presence or sacred Levite bread (καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγον,). However, it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat it (ὃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἦν αὐτῷ φαγεῖν οὐδὲ τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ). Only the Levite priests were allowed to eat this sacred bread (εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν μόνοις). The bread of the Presence were 12 loaves of bread in the holy place in the Temple that symbolized communion with God. Thus, Jesus used the example of David to answer the Pharisees.

This admonition is very clear. Do not be lazy, a lazybones person. He took the example of an ant. It has no chiefs, officers, or rulers, yet it provides for itself. The ants prepared the food in summer and gathered in the fall. So then he turned to the lazy one. He asked how long he was going to be resting. He either was sleeping, dosing, or folding his hands resting. If he did not get a move on, he would soon be poor. Poverty would come upon him like a robber or armed warrior. This is an idea that will be repeated.